There is no Formula 1 season that is easier to manage for the sporting arm of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) than one in which a team is in charge and may be the same driver, be it Lewis Hamilton, crowned six times out of seven possible between 2014 and 2020, or Max Verstappen, who has swept the last two seasons in his Red Bull, considered the most dominant car in the history of the competition. The problem is when the trajectories of two drivers cross because the performance of their cars is equal. That happened between the Dutchman and the Briton in 2021, which gave one of the most explosive outcomes ever, and this year is going in that direction, in which McLaren has emerged as a very serious threat to the red buffalo brand. After several scares for Lando Norris, with the victory in Miami as the most stellar moment, the incident between the Woking-born stiletto and Mad Maxlast Sunday in Austria, anticipates a British Grand Prix, this Sunday (4:00 p.m., Dazn), with voltage soaring. The two will share the second row of the grid at Silverstone, led by George Russell, with Carlos Sainz seventh and Fernando Alonso tenth.
The brawl between Verstappen and Norris that decided the final race in Russell’s favour at the Red Bull Ring left a trail of statements in Spielberg and throughout the week. McLaren’s criticism of its rival’s alleged breach of the rules in the manoeuvres to defend the lead – Verstappen was accused of reacting to Norris’s attacks by changing his line under braking, something that is prohibited – later led to a much more in-depth discourse by those responsible for the papaya car squad. Andrea Stella, head of McLaren, argued that the incident and the controversy it left behind can be explained by the permissiveness that the FIA has shown in the past, which led to such controversial episodes as the outcome of the 2021 championship, between Verstappen and Hamilton, in Abu Dhabi. On that occasion, the FIA’s intervention left the multiple champion Mercedes completely exposed, with a decision that will be remembered forever – it allowed the cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to split up, but only them, not the rest. Mercedes called what would have meant the Stevenage driver’s eighth crown a theft.
“We don’t want to see another 2021. I think that episode was not at all beneficial for F1. It was certainly entertaining, but not for the reasons it should have been,” agreed Stella, who is very critical of the latest management of the body that must ensure the application of the regulations. As a result of the collision with Norris, who was forced to retire, Verstappen received a ten-second penalty, which did not affect the final result at all. He finished fifth, exactly the same position in which he would have crossed the finish line had he not been sanctioned. Ironically, the offender left there with a greater margin at the top of the table (by 12 points), than he had when he arrived in Austria. Precisely, with respect to Norris, who is now chasing him, 81 points away. “I am convinced that they will analyze this case, and that it will serve as an example to know how we should proceed,” the engineer concluded. “I think that what is happening is that Lando is discovering how to race against Max. “I think there will inevitably be more close races between the two because the cars are at a very similar level,” agreed Red Bull boss Cristian Horner. “Max is a tough driver, probably one of the toughest drivers out there. And whoever tries to beat him has to know that he will give everything he has.”
The fact is that the two protagonists of last Sunday are very good friends. That is why their dispute was resolved long before the exchange of statements from the executives of their respective companies. “I don’t give a shit about the criticism. I go back home and get on with my life. The only thing that matters to me is my relationship with Lando,” said Verstappen, who spoke with his colleague on Monday and Wednesday of this week, to clear things up. “In the end, we came to the conclusion that we had a great time in that fight. It was a small contact with very big consequences for both of us,” continued the three-time champion. “It was a rather pathetic incident considering what it meant, especially for me. One of the mildest contacts one can have, with terrible consequences for both of us, and especially for me,” concluded Norris.
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